God in the Flesh (Incarnation): Difference between revisions

People’s reluctance to the idea of God in the flesh comes from the thought, “Man cannot be God.” Of course, a man who is a creature cannot be God the Creator. However, God Almighty, who created all things through His word in the beginning and divided the [[Red Sea]] in the time of the Exodus, can come as a man at any time.<ref>Chapter 1 The Mystery of Mysteries, ''God the Father and God the Mother Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd'',  Kim Joo-Cheol, 11p</ref> In the Old and New Testaments, there are records of God who appeared as a man. In the Old Testament times, the [[Jehovah|LORD]] God appeared before [[Abraham]] as a passerby with two angels and ate food. In the New Testament times, Jesus was born as a baby from the Virgin [[Mary]]. God does not only exist as a spirit, but can also be manifested in the flesh.<ref>Chapter 12 About the Trinity, ''THE MYSTERY OF GOD AND THE SPRING OF THE WATER OF LIFE Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd'', Ahnsahnghong, 82p</ref>

Eventually, the Jews did not recognize the Messiah, whom they had longed for. They rejected Him and even crucified Him on the [[cross]]. At that time, the Jews and religious leaders only looked at the sky and waited for the coming of the Messiah. While they were doing so, the Messiah was already born and fulfilled all the prophecies of the Bible.<ref>Chapter 11 About Jesus, ''THE MYSTERY OF GOD AND THE SPRING OF THE WATER OF LIFE Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd'', Ahnsahnghong, 75p</ref>

The apostles accepted Jesus as their Savior because they believed that Jesus was the Savior who fulfilled the prophecies of the Bible. In the Old Testament, there are prophecies about God coming as a man hundreds of years before Jesus was born. The prophecies are as follows: The Savior would be conceived in the body of a virgin;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Isaiah+7%3A14&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Isaiah 7:14 |publisher= }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Matthew+1%3A18-23&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Matthew 1:18–23 |publisher= }}</ref> the One whose origins are from of old, meaning God, would be born in Bethlehem;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Micah+5%3A2&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Micah 5:2 |publisher= }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Matthew+2%3A1-6&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Matthew 2:1–6 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> and the King of Israel, or the King of Zion (God) would come to [[Jerusalem]] by riding a donkey.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Zechariah+9%3A9&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Zechariah 9:9 |publisher= }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Matthew+21%3A2-11&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Matthew 21:2–11 |publisher= }}</ref> In the Bible, Jesus is called ''[https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=2395879&cid=50762&categoryId=51387 Immanuel]''. It means God came in the flesh to save His people and be with them.<ref>Chapter 12 About the Trinity, ''THE MYSTERY OF GOD AND THE SPRING OF THE WATER OF LIFE Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd'', Ahnsahnghong, 86p</ref> According to this prophecy, Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the Bible as He was born in the form of a man, lived a life for the salvation of mankind, and died on the cross.

The way to recognize Christ who comes again in the form of a man can be found in the history of the early Church. At that time, the religious leaders who saw the physical aspects of Jesus rejected Him, the Savior, but the apostles and the saints, who saw the prophecy and fulfillment of the Bible, received the Savior. In this age, the Bible is the only way to recognize Second Coming Christ because the Bible is the only book that testifies about the Savior.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=John+5%3A39&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=John 5:39 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> At His first coming, Jesus testified about Himself as Savior through the Bible. When [[John the Baptist]] asked, “Are you the One who is to come?” Jesus told the prophecies of the Bible.<ref>Chapter 4 “Are You the One Who Was to Come?”, ''God the Father and God the Mother Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd'', Kim Joo-Cheol, 36p</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Matthew+11%3A2-5&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Matthew 11:2–5 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> Moreover, when the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus did not recognize Him, Jesus testified about Himself through the Bible.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Luke+24%3A27&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Luke 24:27 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> The Bible prophesies when, in what form, and with what sign Christ will come again. The most important sign concerning His second coming is the Passover of the new covenant. The prophet Isaiah prophesied that in the future, God would hold a banquet with the aged wine, and that He would swallow up death forever.